Electrochemotherapy as a potential local treatment for residual MIBG-avid disease in refractory pediatric neuroblastoma: a case report

Abstract Introduction Percutaneous ablation techniques are increasingly used in pediatric oncology, yet electrochemotherapy has not been widely explored in children. Case report We report a 7-year-old girl with refractory metastatic neuroblastoma and bulky retroperitoneal residual disease considered inoperable after multiple chemotherapy regimens. Electrochemotherapy with interstitial injection of cisplatin was performed to control the residual metaiodobenzylguanidine-avid (MIBG) component compressing major vascular structures. Conclusions In neuroblastoma patients with unresectable primary disease, percutaneous ablation strategies such as electrochemotherapy may offer a safe adjunct to standard oncological approaches. Importantly, in this case, durable local control of the MIBG-avid residual tumor was achieved. Complex patients should be managed by expert multidisciplinary boards, and innovative local control techniques should be integrated with surgery within multimodal treatment strategies.